Croissants 101
There are very few things as satisfying as a perfect croissant. Flaky, tender, just the right amount of pull and give, and BUTTERY. To make these croissants, refer to my croissants 101 video on Instagram. You'll find the dough, shaping and baking instructions there.
Equipment
- Rolling Pin a large one will be helpful for rolling out the large piece of dough
- Baking Sheet with parchment paper
- Pastry Brush use a natural bristle, not silicone
Ingredients
- 454 g whole milk this requires you to weigh the milk
- 1 tbsp yeast
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 43 g sugar
- 75 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 794 bread flour you need the extra gluten strength in bread flour for this dough to stretch around all the butter without bursting open
Butter Layer
- 37 g bread flour
- 454 g unsalted butter room temperature
Instructions
To Make the Dough
- Combine all ingredients and mix on low speed with a dough hook in a stand mixer for about 10 minutes.
- Form a smooth disk, cover with plastic wrap and rest the dough for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Butter Layer
- Combine the butter and flour with a paddle attachment in a stand mixer, until smooth.
- Spread the butter into an even layer on 2/3 of a piece of parchment paper that is the same size as your baking sheet 11x16 inches.
- Refrigerate the butter until set.
To Make the Croissant Dough
- Roll the dough to the size of the baking sheet.
- Place the chilled butter on the dough, aligning it with the bottom edge, so it covers 2/3 of the dough. Fold the dough into thirds, like you're folding a letter. Start with the portion with no butter.
- Roll the laminated dough out to the size of the sheet pan again (11x16ish). The butter and dough being the same consistency is key here. If the butter is too soft it will squeeze out. If it's too cold it won't roll at all.
- Once it's the right size, fold it in thirds again, like a letter. From here on you should refer to my croissants 101 video on Instagram.